Youth And Young Manhood

To be honest, i only bought this album because the 'kings' looked hairy, and i like hairy men! and thank the LORD i DID indeed buy this AMAZING album because it is the best debut album i have ever heard.The kings have introduced me to THE most beautiful and graceful song i have ever heard, 'talihina sky'. it is TRULY a work of art (and none of that rubbish you find in the tate modern).Some might say that Caleb's lead vocals are annoying, or even unbearable but to me, it is a refreshing change to hear raw and unspoiled vocals and it is a crying shame that so many artists have yet to take the jump and to stop using computers or whatever to 'perfect' their voices. I couldn't say what the best song on the album is because they are all so incredible it would break my heart to say. However, i can say that the highlight of listening to the album was pressing the 'repeat' button when the beautifully crafted 'talihina sky' ended and the album was over. What i also love about this album is during most of the songs ('Joes Head' and 'Trani' in particular) the lyrics seem so mixed up and Caleb's singing is so fast and his accent is so heavy that it is impossible to decifer what he is saying. However, i didn't care and carried on listening because the music truly speaks for itself. Also, when you look up the lyrics it is a nice surprise to find what the songs are about and then when you listen to them again it is almost as if the songs are reborn and they are now new to you. 'holy roller novocaine' has THE most amazing bass line which really made me listen to the music, rather than the lyrics. Caleb has a voice that could cut through glass and his raw lyrics are amazing. The drums also excell on this album and the drummer's backing vocals are also FABU! So, to sum up this BEAST of an album, it really made me fall in love with music all over again and if you want to own the most amazing debut album on the history of the earth, you would buy this record. Or if you choose not to, then you wouldnt know talent if it came up to with a lampshade on its head, shook your hand and said, 'hello, my name is talent, how u doin'?' PEACE OUT! (buy the record, if you regret it you may sue me!)

Despite the fact that there are far too many reviews of the Kings of Leon describing what other bands they sound like, I fear I am going to have to do the same. The vocalist switches around vocal styles a little bit, but nothing new ever comes out. He does surprise us with some vocals that sound spot on like Mick Jagger, other times like Howlin' Wolf, and sometimes just like Forrest Gump. These changes are often refreshing, but sometimes we are left with nothing but mumbling which really holds back the track. That reminds me that the tracks are filled with really marvelous instrumentation. And it is true that it all does sound a LOT like Lynyrd Skynyrd and/or the Allman Brothers Band. Particularly the introductions to the songs sound like these classic rockers. Then the songs delve into more Strokes-like arrangements. One must notice that these guys borrow a lot of music from a lot of older bands, and it is boring to read yet another review stating this, but it is true, they really do only borrow other styles. There is nothing truly new or satisfyingly unique about this band. The Kings of Leon have no sound of their own (yet). And yet, I lent this album to a coworker and he was surprised at how it set his toes to tappin'. It is a rocking album and in these bleak times, we have to appreciate this kind of music for what it is. After all, it is 2003, so we aren't hearing many albums with tight, concise solos kept in their place in a song structure and yet rising to blistering, pinwheeling levels in your head before cutting short and returning to a verse. It's a good one to own if you are going to purchase something new.

"New Southern Rock Band" is a term that seems to be all but extinct sans any project that has to do with a side-project or a re-tooled version of the Allman Brothers. Alas, here comes Kings of Leon. Youth & Young Manhood to me is almost the perfect quintessential debut album title for a younger rock band, and the attitude and presentation of their first release depicts this theme quite well. First of all, this IS a fresh, original sound. For the most part, Kings of Leon present themselves as a southern rock influenced group who speed things up a little but are careful to keep the soul intact. If the songs sound familiar, you might have heard them approximately every 10 minutes during the movie "Stuck on You," on which they are prominently featured. Rightfully so. Take this one with you on the road for a weekend trip, pop it into the player, and you'll have a new favorite.